By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASALIA, Brazil – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is struggling to maintain support amidst calls for her resignation following the conviction of Petrobras officials for organizing bribes to members of the Brazilian government in exchange for Korean contracts, paid out in funds stolen from the indebted oil company. Both the senate and the lower house are being investigated in the wake of the kickback scandal.

Rousseff served as chairwoman of Petrobras’ board in 2010, before her election to president and at the height of the kickbacks. Although she has officially been exonerated, many insist that she had to have had knowledge of the scheme. She has also been accused of receiving illegal contributions for her campaign, and that her government has misused state money to cover budget gaps.

President Rousseff has insisted that she will not resign.

Brazilians in past days have taken to the streets in protests, with many calling for the impeachment of President Rousseff. Protests drew thousands in Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Copacabana beach in Rio. The latest numbers list nation-wide support for the President to be as low as single digits (about 8 percent). Two out of three Brazilians surveyed think that Rousseff should be impeached, and her approval rating is currently the lowest of any Brazilian president since the end of military rule.

Protesters calling for impeachment do so despite the almost guaranteed instability that would follow. Pedro Lopes Siqueira, a public servant from Rio participating in the protests told the New York Times: “Impeachment would be momentarily destabilizing, but it’s allowed in the Constitution, and it needs to happen.

Some have even declared that they would welcome a military intervention as opposed to what is perceived by some as a highly corrupt government. Brazil recently celebrated 30 years since the end of the military dictatorship in March of this year.

This comes at a time where the Brazilian economy is struggling due to uncertainty and political corruption. Moody’s Investors Service reported that the Brazilian economy will contract about 2 percent this year. Businesses from motor vehicle manufacturers to small businesses and family owned restaurants have felt the effects of the economic downturn.

Business owners around the country have expressed concern regarding the potential repercussions if Rousseff is impeached – which will likely include a period of economic instability. Although business leaders and Rousseff historically have a rocky relationship, many have come out as unlikely allies of the president. “An impeachment is a traumatic affair that affects the political and business arena at a time when Brazil is struggling to regain its credibility abroad,” according to Alencar Burti, president of the Sao Paulo state Federation of Chambers of Commerce. The group represents 200,000 business owners in the area. They would be more in favor of some sort of economic deal.

Industrial groups and the media have also called for a deal to ensure stability.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Protests Across Brazil raise Pressure on President Dilma Rousseff – 16 August 2015

BBC – Brazilian protesters call for President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment – 17 August 2015

Bloomberg Business – Brazil’s Political Crisis Puts the Entire Economy on Hold – 17 August 2015

The Guardian UK – Former Petrobras executive sentenced over alleged congressional bribe – 17 August 2015

Reuters – RPT – Big business could help Brazilian president survive political storms – 18 August 2015

By Kaitlyn Degnan,
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

QUITO, Ecuador — Indigenous groups in Ecuador pretested against President Rafael Correra and his policies on Thursday. Thousands marched to Quito to support demands of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie).

Indigenous activists, doctors, union workers and retirees led protests across Ecuador. Other government opponents joined in the protests as part of a national strike. Protesters blocked several highways around the country with rocks, trees and burning tires.

The marches were one of the largest demonstrations against Correra’s government yet. The protesters called out President Correra for failing to deliver on promised social programs and income equality. Indigenous populations had previously been major supporters of Correra.

President Correra spoke out against the protests in a twitter post: “They’re hurting the country, not the government. We cannot be submitted to the abuse of an absolute minority.” Correa said that that his fiscal reforms would help wealth distribution.

During the protests Correra celebrated the “Festival of Youth and Joy in Independence Plaza in Quito, expressing confidence that the protests would have little effect on his government and policies.

For the most part the protests were peaceful, though a handful of scuffles did break out in some areas. Demonstrators clashed with police using rocks and sticks. There were 47 protesters arrested, mostly in Quito, and 67 police officers were injured throughout the country.

The protesters list of demands include a rollback on proposed changes to the constitution, a halt to mining concessions, and the stoppage of negotiations for free trade with the European Union.

Ecuador has recently experienced and economic slowdown, partially the result of the falloff crude oil prices. Standard & Poor lowered Ecuador’s sovereign credit to B from B+ due to tension between Correra and the people.

For more information, please see:

REUTERS – Ecuadorian union leaders, indigenous block roads in Correra protest – 13 August 2015

Wall Street Journal – Ecuador Native Groups, Opponents Strike Against President Correra – 13 August 2015

EuroNews – Indigenous communities lead anti-government protests in Ecuador – 14 August 2015

PanAm Post – Correra sings while Ecuador erupts in protest – 14 August 2015

Yahoo News – Ecuador protest left 67 police injured, 47 arrested – 14 August 2015

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru —

About 120 Peruvian special forces successfully raided a camp belonging to group “Shining Path,” rescuing captives held there as slaves. Some of those held claim they have been captives of the group for almost 30 years.

The camp was located in the valley of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro Rivers, an area known as Vraem. Over 200 tons of cocaine are reportedly produced there every year – one third of the production for the entire country. Shining Path has been known to work with drug traffickers.

39 people were rescued from the camp – 26 children and 13 adults. Some of the children were born in the camp while others were likely kidnapped from surrounding rural areas, where impoverished parents don’t report abductions out of fear.

At least one of the captives was part of a group of nuns kidnapped by the group 25 years ago.

It is thought that at least 100 people remain captive by Shining Path.

The camp was a “production camp,” where inhabitants are meant to “work and procreate.” Women held there were raped and expected to have as many children as possible, to give birth to more rebels. Both women and children were forced to work in the fields and perform domestic duties.

Peruvian Vice Minister of Defense Ivan Vega reported that those held at the camp were forced to work in fields and on farms growing food for Shining Path members.

Children in the camps are instructed in the group’s Maoist ideology. Once the children reached the age of 13, they were considered “recruits,” and eligible to participate in the group’s armed operations. The rescued children will be placed in the care of the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations.

Shining Path was started in the 1960s as a communist revolutionary group. The group in its heyday had about 10,000 members. The group, whose highest goal is to overthrow the Peruvian government, waged an insurgency that left 70,000 people dead or disappeared in its wake.

The fighting between the Peruvian government and Shining Path ended in 2000. Peru opened a museum to honor those killed in the conflict just last year.

Today their numbers are much smaller and the group engages in narcotics trafficking to fund its campaign. Shining Path caused a stir in 2012 when members of the group tried started a petition to form an official political party.

For more information, please see:

Council on Foreign Relations – Shining Path, Tupac Amaru (Peru, leftists) – 27 August 2007

The New York Times – Peru Forced to Confront Deep Scars of Civil War – 26 May 2012

BBC – Peru rescues 39 ‘slave workers’ from Shining Path Farm – 28 July 2015

Latin Post – Peru Rescues 39 People Held Captive by Shining Path Rebels, Some for 30 Years [Pics] – 29 July 2015

Peru this Week – Shining Path still holds 100 hostages in Vraem – 29 July 2015

Reuters – Peru forces raid coca region rebel slave camp, rescue 39 women, children – 29 July 2015

TeleSur – Peru: 39 People Rescued from Camp Run by Shining Path – 29 July 2015

Latin American Herald Tribune – 26 Children & 13 Women Abducted by Shining Path Rebels Rescued in Peru – 30 July 2015

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LA PAZ, Bolivia — An attempt to foster dialogue between the Bolivian government and protesters in the city of Potosi failed on Tuesday after protesters demanded that Bolivian President Evo Morales be present for the talks. The government responded that Morales would receive the “final document,” but would not be available for the dialogue.  The protesters are led by the Potosi Civic Committee, or Comcipo.

Bolivian government representatives called a meeting for 2pm on Tuesday July 21 in La Paz to discuss the demands of the protesters. After waiting for 2 hours while Comcipo held an internal meeting, Comcipo president Jhonny Llally presented a letter which reaffirmed the existing pre-conditions (including Morales’ involvement) and additionally demanded that the dialogue be mediated by the Catholic Church, national ombudsman Roalndo Villena, and the Bolivia’s Permanent Human Rights Assembly.

Potosi is protesting for the government to build: a hydroelectric plant, three hospitals, glass and cement factories and an international airport. The city is also looking for steps to preserve the Cerro Rico mines, one of the largest silver deposits in the world.

The protests have been ongoing for at least 17 days, and have paralyzed activity in and around Potosi. Several dozen foreigners are reported to be trapped in the city, including 60 Argentinians. Schools and businesses are for the most part shut down. The city is reportedly close to running out of food, gas, and money. The blockades are preventing food, medicine, and other supplies from being flown in.

Four people have been injured in clashes between protesters and police.

This is not the first time that the people of Potosi has tried to bring attention these issues – similar protests were held back in 2010. These protests also caused a shut down of trade and commerce in the city. Then, 300 foreigners were trapped in the city, and many were evacuated by air by their own governments.  300 foreign citizens were trapped in the city.

No foreign government has yet confirmed that they are working to evacuate their citizens by air, though several have expressed frustration with the inability to access the city by road. Bolivia’s Interior Minister Carlos Romero has said that so far, “there has not been a favorable response from the blockading groups” in reference to the attempts to pull out foreigners.

For more information, please see:

Latin American Herald Tribune – Protests Trap Foreign Tourists in Bolivian City – 16 July 2015

BBC – Protesters cut access to Bolivian city of Potosi – 17 July 2015

Latin American Herald Tribune – Dialogue Attempt Between Bolivian Government, Protest Leaders Fails – 22 July 2015

LaPrensa – Dialogue attempt between Bolivian gov’t protests leaders fail – 22 July 2015